The present invention pertains generally to shipping, logistics and control of production processes which involve the shipping, receiving and assembly of numerous parts in production or mass-assembly operations.
In the continuous production of complex products, such as automobiles, which require thousands of parts, including many relatively small parts such as fasteners, the timing of the delivery of such parts to the site of assembly is critical to process efficiency. A shortage of even the smallest part can stop a large assembly line at a cost of thousands of dollars per minute. On the other hand, an excess of parts is burdensome to the production facility, where many boxes of small or xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d parts are accumulated and stored on racks throughout a factory and along side the production lines. This results in disorganized warehousing of parts in the production facility, which interferes with open working space and line-of-sight production management. Also, inventory control of small parts is much more difficult when excess quantities are present.
xe2x80x9cJust-in-timexe2x80x9d production processes have been applied successfully with respect to relatively large components such as automobile engines and body parts, so that such parts do not have to be held or warehoused prior to assembly. Application of a similar concept to relatively smaller or xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d parts, i.e., to regulate the flow of such parts into the production assembly according to the rate of production or real time demand, is more difficult due to the wide variety and number of such parts, and the rapid rate at which they are used. Some cross-docking operations have been developed which break bulk quantities of small or standard parts into smaller lots which are delivered to a plant at a rate which approximates production. However, this type of approach does not address the distribution of the parts within the factory, or according to line feed workstations. Nor do such systems monitor part usage per workstation or bay, to provide a running real-time inventory of small parts. Also, the prior art has not adequately addressed the coordination of delivery of a large number of relatively small xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d parts from diverse points in timing with production/mass assembly operations.
The present invention provides a complete system for the transport, warehousing, distribution and assembly line workstation placement of small or standard parts used in an assembly operation. As used herein with reference to the invention, the name xe2x80x9cstandard partsxe2x80x9d refers generally to relatively small parts which are boxed in quantity for shipment, and which are used in relatively large quantities. Certain non-limiting examples of standard parts are fasteners, such as pop rivets, screws, bolt-nut combinations, plastic ties, adhesive products and other small functional parts. Standard parts are typically boxed in mass quantities such as 100 to 1000 or more in relatively small boxes, such as boxes of approximately one cubic foot or less. In accordance with the invention, standard parts are warehoused in boxed shipments according to routes by which the boxed parts will be distributed within an assembly plant. As used herein with reference to the invention, the term xe2x80x9cplantxe2x80x9d refers to any production or assembly facility where parts are delivered and assembled into subassemblies or finished products.
The Standard Parts Metering System is a type of internal logistics for logical movement of parts within a plant or assembly station. The system defines material flow procedures based upon per shift quantity requirements, to eliminate on-site parts inventory and provide immediate misuse or over-shipment notification.
Standard Parts Metering is the metering of relatively small or standard parts to an assembly point in shift production quantities (by the box instead of by the pallet)xe2x80x94stabilizing the flow of parts into the production/assembly point. Standard Parts Metering also includes operator initiated replenishment with sequenced deliveries to pedestal production drop zones. The system provides the advantages of:
Optimized delivery of standard parts based on production usage requirements (no over/under shipments);
decreased volume of standard parts quantities at consolidation pool operations; reduced transit timesxe2x80x94equating to reduction in inventory carrying costs;
elimination of on-site inventoriesxe2x80x94fulfilling line-of-site management requirements; gained process controlxe2x80x94greatly reducing expediting costs;
disciplined storage and metering procedures (sequencing);
clearly identified Production Drop Zone locations and Material Handling routes;
pedestal linefeed locations within drop zonesxe2x80x94reducing xe2x80x9csprains and strainsxe2x80x9d claims;
line operator replenishment based on actual usage;
limited and controlled amount of linefeed storage;
utilization of returnable containers (closed loop cycles);
immediate notification of part misuse (supplier over-ship or linefeed loss);
conformance with parameters of management of external and internal logistics;
weekly release data to forecast and build optimized transportation routes;
utilization of truck load or LTL logistics to implement milkrun transportation efficiencies;
establishment of regional domiciles to significantly reduce transit times and inventory levels;
sequenced truckload deliveries to point-of-use docks according to production drop zone locations;
time window deliveries coordinated by a Lead Logistic Provider;
linefeed operators requesting replenishment prior to the end of their shift;
linefeed pedestals utilized with returnable containers for ergonomic efficiencies;
immediate notification of part misuse issues so corrective actions can be taken (change in system quantities or corrective processes for misuse);
improvement of efficiency within a manufacturing plant by:
level material flow to the plant (reduced inventory carrying costs);
transportation budget efficiencies (particularly expedite costs);
time window deliveries;
sequenced linefeed deliveries;
immediate replenishment under exception fulfillment requirements (near elimination of stock outages with proximity of metering warehouse and safety stock inventories);
hourly employee participation in the Metering process;
increased plant space availability (value add for Greening parameters, i.e., marshaling areas for returnable containers);
manpower allocation efficiencies based on instituting line of site management;
material Handling manpower reductions (overtime requirementsxe2x80x94weekends);
monitor/manage release data;
build optimal transportation routes;
track and exception manage LTD (load to delivery);
arrive Standard Parts into WMS (warehouse management system);
maximize inventory levels based on WMS data;
pick and pack according to production drop zone specifications;
sequence load shuttle deliveries;
follow lead logistics provider requirements for time window deliveries opportunities;
become information partners with lead logistics provider;
immediately identify and notify parts misuse (over-ship or line feed loss); and
recommend inventory float reductions to material handling.
These and other aspects of the invention are herein described in detail as follows: